Mark 9:25-29 - Dependence on Christ

Mark 9:25-29
²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.” ²⁶ After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up. ²⁸ When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not drive it out?” ²⁹ And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”

Message: Dependence on Christ

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Preface - After coming down the mountain, from the transfiguration, Jesus encounters his other disciples with scribes. A man with his son who is possessed with a spirit his entire life that makes him mute is here. No one can do anything for this man and Jesus remarks that he (still) has before him an unbelieving generation, for their is no sign that any healing of this boy has occurred. The man then wonders if Jesus can heal his son. If is the key word. Jesus speaks plainly that it isn't a question of can he do it, but will the man believe that he can do it. All things are possible to him who believes.

When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.” Jesus does what Jesus does. He takes care of the situation. After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out. The unclean spirit isn't done yet and fights back initially, but it does come out. It's as if there is a power struggle. From all appearances, the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!”

But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up. Whether the boy actually died here is not important, but there is a picture here that Jesus has been speaking to the disciples about more recently and that is a death and a resurrection. Jesus cast out the demon, but once the spirit left, the boy lay on the ground like a corpse. The young man was released by Jesus from demonic oppression - a picture of what it would take for Jesus to fully and finally defeat Satan.

When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not drive it out?” And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.” This is a reminder to us that in matters like this there is no dependence on self but rather our dependence is on prayer. Jesus remarks, "Prayer works." In prayer, we depend on the power of God. The fact that Jesus has given them the authority to do his work doesn't mean they can do it without the dependence on the Lord. Still in these matters they need to call on the Lord for his help. Mark 3:15 remarked that Jesus in calling the disciples gave them the authority to cast out demons. 

Summary - After Jesus rebukes the unclean spirit, the spirit cries out and throws him into convulsions and then comes out of the boy. While Jesus was on the mountain, being transfigured, the disciples had tried unsuccessfully to rebuke the Spirit. Jesus remarked that this kind cannot come out but by prayer.

Promise: Regular prayer reminds us that God is on the throne and our full dependence is on Him. 

Prayer: O God, I thank you for prayer, that it reminds me that You are in Control of all things in my life. I need that reminder. Lord, your power is what is needed in my life. More of you. I depend on You Jesus for your love and guidance. Help me. Give me strength.